Sannin: Paths to the Future
by Gyth
Summary: “Ne, ne, Sakura chan, Sasuke, anything we do, we’ll do it together, right?”  None of them knew how true the words of a careless eight year old Jinchuuriki would turn out to be.  AU.


Summary: "Ne, ne, Sakura-chan, Sasuke, anything we do, we'll do it together, right?" None of them knew how true the words of a careless eight-year old Jinchuuriki would turn out to be. AU.

**Disclaimer: **Naruto does not belong to me; it is owned and created by Masashi Kishimoto.

**Sannin – Paths to the Future**

**Chapter One**

Uzumaki Naruto had long since discovered that most days held the same thing in store for him. No real variance or potential for change existed within the flow of the days – each day simply brought more of the same routine that he'd given in to since before he could remember.

His alarm blared loudly as the sun had finally worked its way into the sky. Naruto ignored it once, his mind still fuzzy and unresponsive as he curled up underneath the warm, fuzzy blanket and pulled it tighter. No real thoughts motivated the blind groping for the clock as he winced from the increasing volume and urgency of the sound. The seven-year old blonde grunted in annoyance as his short, scrawny arm just didn't seem to reach the pine-coffee table next to his bed. The blaring noise managed to motivate him though, and just as it reached its peak, Naruto's hand finally smashed into the 'snooze' button, securing him several more moments of sleep.

"Mmmm," he snuggled and squirmed with his second pillow appreciatively, allowing him to enjoy the odd bliss of the state between awake and asleep for a small while. Truthfully, the young boy never looked forward to awakening, especially this time of year, but he would endure. Besides, today was different. Today, a new kid was transferring to their class. It wasn't really all that unusual, according to what he'd heard from some kids in him group – the first few months in the academy were marked with people constantly entering and exiting; last week alone, two guys had decided to leave because being a shinobi would be 'too hard.'

As the alarm rung once more, Naruto sat up a little more enthusiastically than normally – the thin baby-blue blanket was discarded somewhat forcefully and ended up in a small pile in the corner of the hardwood floor. He grinned happily as he slipped into a pair of fuzzy yellow and green slippers, finally remembering that today wasn't just any day. "Maybe," he spoke out to nobody in particular, "Maybe today I'll finally make a friend!"

The statement was painfully earnest; despite the happy front and optimism he seemed to exude, Naruto himself was fully aware of just how unlikely that was. He'd tried hard in the academy, honestly he had. He wasn't the smartest kid there, he knew, but he tried and he was nice, too.

'_Hokage-jiijii said that being nice was the best way to make friends. It isn't working very well,'_ thought Naruto as he made his way to the kitchen, getting ready to eat another cup of the warm, delicious noodles he'd come to love so much. They were cheap, so he could buy a lot of them with the paltry stipend he got from the village – which meant that he never had to miss a meal. Popping one into the microwave, he nodded emphatically as he recalled the virtues of ramen. He'd been eating it as long as he could remember and it'd always ranked as one of his favorite foods, though he didn't really know why he enjoyed it so much. Sandaime had only chuckled loudly when a four-year old Naruto had proudly proclaimed that there was no greater food out there than the instant-ramen he'd bought him.

Now, Naruto knew much better. _'Ichiraku's Ramen is obviously much better.'_ The old man had still found this to be chuckle-worthy; Naruto didn't see why it was so funny. Everyone had a favorite food and his just happened to be Ramen.

Slurping it down as fast as he could – even as a youth, he was a glutton, perhaps on par with Chouji – Naruto bounded out of the chipped chair and didn't bother to throw the empty Styrofoam container away. His apartment was fairly messy, with empty containers, various items of clothing, and other assorted items strewn all over the place. Oh, he cleaned it whenever Sandaime visited, but he was young and all boys are living chaos at that age unless forced to be otherwise.

Literally skipping back to his room, he was quick and agile with his movements as he flung the knee-length sleeping shirt from his back and was dressed in even less time. A pair of smallish orange shorts slid on quite easily, followed by an-increasingly tight white tee-shirt with an inornate black spiral positioned near the stomach. Frowning as he slipped into the navy blue Shinobi Sandals, Naruto concluded that he'd need to go shopping again soon. And that would take forever as he was bounced from store to store. It'd taken him a good weekend's worth of walking before he'd been able to purchase this set of clothing. And that'd only been because he managed to 'persuade' Sandaime into going with him.

'_I really like these shorts though! Orange is such a bright color…maybe I should get my next outfit in all orange. People won't be able to deny how friendly I am then!'_

And he grinned excitedly as he bounded out of the unkempt bedroom – almost completely barren, he didn't have much in there but a bed, a few pieces of old, warped furniture, and clothing spewed all over the scuffed hardwood floor. It was almost like stinky, slightly damp carpet. Naruto knew that he should've had a number of the books and scrolls strewn across his room too, but they were impossibly boring and most of the Kanji made no sense to him. He hated not being able to read them.

He thought about it as he wiggled the key to lock his apartment – the deadbolt required quite a bit of manipulation before it slammed into place – and frowned as he recalled an event that had occurred only a few weeks prior.

* * *

"_Uzumaki!"_

_The piercing sound of the instructor's voice jerked the young boy out from the hypnotic state induced from staring at the unfamiliar characters – half asleep, half questioning himself why he couldn't seem to understand what others knew inherently. Almost jumping out of his seat, Naruto blushed embarrassed as the chorus of laughter filled his ears. "A..ah, yes, sensei?"_

_The tanned-skin Chuunin coldly observed the Kyuubi brat and he spoke just as coldly, "Uzumaki, would you care to explain to the class the first three Shinobi sayings? You've read the material, no?"_

"_Uh…" he blushed a deeper red, going from a light pink to an obvious scarlet, and his hands began to shake. He couldn't take looking at the sensei that was berating him or the class that found his failure funny and could only stare down at the scrolls to avoid their gazes. "I can't, sensei. I'm sorry."_

"_And why can't you?" _

_He knew the Chuunin was expecting him to answer. It was obvious. A part of Narurto hoped that his teacher was asking because he wanted to help him – knowing what the problem was the first step in providing assistance. An even smaller portion of him believed that was sensei's intention – most of him knew that wasn't right though. "Ano…" he spoke slowly, uncertain about himself, "It's because I don't understand most of the kanji, sensei."_

_Nobody in the class was surprised by his response. "No, that's not it. You know that's not it. Why is it that Uzumaki can't give us something that simple, class? Anyone have an answer?"_

_There was a stifling silence that filled the air of the classroom for several seconds, and nobody seemed to move or breathe or even think. Especially Naruto. No matter how many times this happened, this part was always the worst. It wasn't the judgemental gazes that were cast upon him, magnified by the effect of thirty individuals staring in unison, each one as sharp and painful as well-made blade. And it certainly wasn't the feelings of self-loathing and anger directed at himself for being unable to prove him wrong. It was the swelling, swirling raw emotion that rose up at those damn gazes – they were so similar to the ones the villagers all directed his way – an unfamiliar sensation that threatened to swallow him in its glorious vileness. Hunger started to sweep over him and his mouth felt disturbingly dry._

"_It's because he's stupid!" One student chimed in, and others laughed because that was their truth. A truth that had been ingrained in their brains since before they remembered and before they had any understanding of what truth was – they still didn't really know what truth meant, but they knew that Uzumaki Naruto was not like them. Uzumaki Naruto was wrong. He was different and he was bad. That's what their parents always said and that was still their truth, even if they didn't know why. _

"_Yes, Uzumaki, it's because you're stupid. You're a beast without a brain, unfit to be anything, much less a noble Shinobi, isn't that right?"_

"_Y…yes." Saying no was forbidden. Naruto wasn't allowed to say 'no' – sensei would kick him out of the academy if he ever "gave him any back talk." Even though he desperately desired to deny it – he wasn't stupid, right – he couldn't. Sometimes, he wondered why leaving the academy mortified him so. Things weren't any better here than they were before, when he was just a civilian. Though he couldn't consciously acknowledge it, Naruto had already learned the first rule of Shinobi Society – strength ruled all. And he couldn't be strong as a civilian, making Shinobi his only path._

"_You know you should leave us, Uzumaki. A mindless beast can't succeed here. As it is, you're simply disrupting this class and holding them back. A single bad apple can ruin the bunch, and I don't want that. They all have potential. Why must you insist on plaguing them?"_

"_A-ano…" it still stumped him and embarrassed him and infuriated him. Why? He wanted to know why they wouldn't help him, why the looked at him like he was nothing, no more than a…than a…than a monster. "Maybe…maybe you could help me to get smarter, Sensei. I just want to make some—"_

"_No. You're beyond help, Uzu—"_

"_Sensei, this is a waste of time." A new, unfamiliar voice cut through the ice-cold tone. Across the room and several rows back stood a black-haired boy with eyes that matched. His tone was almost condescending, definitely bored, and – dare he think it? – maybe pitying. As the blond student turned his head to observe this new person, he released the breath he didn't know he was holding. Uchiha Sasuke. Naruto knew of him, but he'd never interacted with the boy. If he was the least popular student in class, then the so-called 'Uchiha prodigy' was undoubtedly the most. _

_Naruto never had much luck with the 'in-crowd' so he hadn't bothered with trying to get to know him. Maybe that'd been a mistake._

"_Uchiha-kun…" for once, his eyes didn't reflect cold indifference but they betrayed a white fury like hell had never known. How dare someone speak out of turn like that! The Uzumaki brat deserved nothing – not kindness certainly, not civility, and even a warm meal and shelter were beyond his rights – except for death. Not a quick one either. The man wanted to scold Sasuke, but knew far better than that. One didn't scold an Uchiha. Ever. "Yes, of course. Uzumaki, sit down or get out. Class, please take out your scrolls on the Basic Theory of Chakra Usage."_

_The collect groan of the disappointed class, who still wanted to see the ensuing 'bloodshed' come to a close, cleaved through the tangible tension, and relief filled Naruto as he sunk back down into the uncomfortable wooden chair and out of view. He'd never been happy with his short stature, but being able to shrink away made him slightly appreciative of it. At least people wouldn't be staring at him. Not until they got bored anyway. His mood wasn't nearly as sour as it should've been; normally, he would've had to endure a good ten minutes more before he gave in and bolted, fleeing to the comfort of his bed as he cried tears in anger and loneliness before collapsing. He was so very grateful for Sasuke's intervention that day. _

_It'd definitely been a mistake to ignore Uchiha Sasuke, one that Uzumaki Naruto intended to correct as soon as possible._

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto had rectified that mistake soon after that incident had come to a close. The very next day had signaled the beginning of his 'surveillance' over Uchiha Sasuke – which was initiated by Naruto scribbling down everything he knew about the boy. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't very much. Like many of his schoolmates, the Sasuke belonged to one of the many Shinobi clans that made up Konohagakure. Aside from the fact that 'Uchiha' was a clan, there wasn't much else he knew aside from the fact that many people had a great deal of respect, or fear depending on who you asked, for the mighty family. Sasuke himself was largely unknown as well – he was a quiet boy who excelled at what he did and paid little mind to his 'followers.' Others praised him often and almost everyone in class revered him.

He would later begrudgingly admit that he slowly joined the ranks of those who admired the black-haired lad, but never openly. It wasn't hard to see why so many looked up to Sasuke – his skill in any field seemed to vastly eclipse even the second or third most skilled. His Shuriken always blurred accurately towards their target, never faltering, falling short, or diverting from their given road. Carefully watching him was the first time Naruto had ever seen a student get a perfect ten out of ten on the academy one Shuriken Training course – he'd heard rumors that his skill with Kunai was just as potent too, but they weren't scheduled to deal with the miniature knives until next semester. In class, he excelled in academics, whether it was basic knowledge of the principle's of a Shinobi, or the numerous strategies they'd only just grazed the surface of, or the hundreds of tactics that were used within Shinobi combat.

In short, Uchiha Sasuke was truly a gifted student. A feeling of jealousy had started to emerge in combination with the swell of awe that had risen up within Naruto – he was constantly praised by his teachers and his classmates as being a 'genius' or a 'true prodigy in the making.' He never seemed to pay attention to them though, merely affording them a quick, unexpressive nod before returning to his work. In fact, Naruto knew that they only time he had reacted positively to receiving a compliment was when one teacher had praised him as being 'the second coming of Itachi' and he had smiled graciously in approval, asking quietly if the teacher had really meant that.

The orange clothed boy couldn't comprehend why he seemed to be so impassive – Naruto would've gladly eaten up the praise for him, gobbling it down as quick as a piping hot bowl of Ichiraku Ramen. Even in his ignorance though, he could tell that being positively compared to this Itachi person was important to his classmate and perhaps he could understand why he reacted so enthusiastically – Naruto had very few people he looked up to, even since he was little, and to be actively compared to any one of them would've been positive reinforcement of the highest level. Of course, the only people he really held in that regard were the various Hokage and Ichiraku Teuchi (the only villager to show even the dollop of kindness towards him) – he always thought normal people would've had more people that treated them with respect.

After several days of observation, Naruto figured that he had begun to uncover the Uchiha puzzle. Honestly, Sasuke was a rather quiet boy who had little interest in interacting with others. He didn't speak unless spoken too and rarely did anything with others. Nobody spoke badly of him for being so reluctant to interact with his fellow students – many praised him as being 'a dark, shy boy' or 'a quiet, thoughtful genius'. The few moments where Naruto heard the boy speak occurred only when the rest of the class sat stupefied, unable to produce anything worthy of the answer. Only then, when the teachers sighed disappointedly and called Sasuke's name expectantly – they knew, without a doubt, that he'd get it right – would he bother to volunteer an answer in that calm, disconnected voice.

It made the whole even from a week earlier all the more puzzling. In the first week alone, Naruto had lost count of the number of times a similar incident had occurred, sans the Uchiha's interference, though he knew it numbered greater than eight, the highest number he could effectively count to. Each incident had ended without anyone standing up for the outcast at all, a round of roaring laughter beating shame into Naruto as he collapsed when it had concluded. Though Sasuke had never joined in the chorus, he could distinctly recall the smirking face of an amused Uchiha prodigy. He remembered it occurring more towards the first few incidents and slowly tapering off as they continued to occur with less and less provocation. Perhaps pity had finally stayed his heart? Maybe a simple annoyance at the disruption of necessary class time?

Naruto didn't know which it was, and he didn't care. He was grateful that someone had bothered to stop the berating. In the weeks following, the teacher grew more spiteful of Naruto – and even Sasuke managed to receive some of his snappish ire – but the verbal abuse came less and stopped far sooner than before. The blond-haired kid noted with particular glee that the teacher was always weary of the Uchiha whenever the harsh lectures did come, always keeping a watchful eye on him and carefully measuring the displeasure on his face. The overweight Chuunin always stopped after the neutral expression melted into an annoyed grimace, fearing being upstaged again.

He still hadn't worked up the courage to approach Sasuke directly though, something he was immensely displeased with as he carelessly sauntered down his apartment hallway – it was always empty at 6:45 in the morning, with Shinobi already having left and most of the villagers still waking and eating. He occasionally ran into an early riser or a straggler, but those occasions were rare. It was a good chance to think while his body automatically walked passed the pale-cream cement walls and thin tan carpet. Today's topic was, of course, his disappointment in his cowardice.

Being called a coward was something nobody enjoyed, especially young boys and men like Naruto, but he wasn't so proud to call it anything else. There weren't any excuses for not approaching Sasuke – certainly, he left for home the moment classes ended, but he also arrived at the academy hopelessly early as well – and extending a handshake of both gratitude and friendship. He was scared, and that irritated the young man to no end. It was okay to be frightened, he'd long since realized, but it wasn't okay to let that fear rule him. He had good reason to be scared of rejection. It was all that he knew…but still…it'd never stopped him before either. Everyday, Naruto made a habit of asking someone if they'd hang out with him. A 'no' was the most common answer he got – and it was always exclaimed loudly.

Dashing down the steps two at a time, he frowned visibly as the cool fall air licked over his pale skin. Dirt roads stretched out in every direction, going anywhere and everywhere within the walls of Konoha, and crammed together buildings stretched three or four stories high, towering over his short figure. Most were made out of wood and were a patchwork of numerous repairs – it was this way throughout most of the commercial and residential areas of Konoha – whereas many clan buildings or official Shinobi buildings were constructed out of a blend of concrete, stone, and wood. The academy, which rose off out in the distance, was one example of such a place.

If he'd been older, Naruto would've used the rooftops as a mean of transportation – he'd seen other Ninja do it, and they were always secluded on top of the numerous buildings. It'd be the perfect method to avoid the crowds of civilians within the Hidden Village, but he wasn't able to do that. His body was still weak, underfed, and decidedly scrawny, making it unable to jump the impressive distances that were necessary to soar over Konohagakure – he could barely make it one-third of the required distance for an average jump. It was obvious that the young Shinobi-in-training would have to grow stronger and wait until he was older before he could do that – until then, he was grounded.

Even in the brisk, early morning, when the vast majority of the populous was still barely awakening, there were still a good number of vendors awake, many selling various breakfast items or cups of coffee to various Shinobi that were arriving back from overnight missions or rushing out the door in a hurry. He didn't mind the Shinobi very much – though their disdain for him was obvious, each gaze was often fleeting as they scurried along to meet with Sandaime. The villagers had no such time constrictions. The moment his tiny form appeared, almost all heads turned his way instantaneously, impassive eyes of brown, blue, black, green, and amber all drilling their way into his soul. He felt naked before them, unclothed as they watched him hatefully and unabashedly judged him. The sensation of being surrounded by angry, judging glares from every direction felt like some disgusting creature was crawling beneath his skin.

It put him on edge, completely unnerving him. The boy's body shook as he walked, jaw clenched as tightly as fist that went red with strain and blood. A consuming, white-hot emotion started to surge up within him – the easiest emotion to feel – and he matched each of their hating glares with one of his own. Oh, how he hated these people.

'_I've been getting these stares for as long as I can remember, and for no reason whatsoever! It's stupid! What did I ever do to them, huh? Nothing! It's not fair, and I won't stand for it – one of these days, I'll…'_ He couldn't finish the thought. What was he going to do? Beat them up? That wouldn't help anything and he knew it – they'd hate him even more. But something deep inside – an almost primitive sensation from beyond his conscious – said to him that it didn't matter anyway. It whispered to him that no matter what, they'd always view him as some sort of plague, untouchable, shunned for the rest of his life…and that he shouldn't let them get away with it. Become strong, and then punish them for their disregard of him – let carnage loose upon the fools. That was bad enough as it was, but something was worse. A part of his conscious actually agreed with that. It nodded approvingly at the plan and craved such a thing. It wasn't all of him – it was still small enough, but more and more of him approved, and that was worrying to Uzumaki.

He was certain that his classmates didn't get occasional flashes of a crimson-covered Konoha in their mind as part of them screamed _'YES' _in a hedonistic joy and another cried out in disgust at the picture and himself. It was disturbing on many levels, and he couldn't stand it much longer.

"Oi, Uzumaki," a voice called to him from behind, one that Naruto recognized as they disgusted drawl of Ichijou Kenji. Kenji was actually two years his senior, but they were in the same class. A tall, brawny boy, Kenji found that it was particularly amusing to pick on the weaker kids to 'eliminate the unworthy' from class. His brute strength was the highest of all the students, but he lacked the speed and style of a formally trained Shinobi. Unlike Sasuke or the other kids from clans, Kenji was born to civilian parents which was somewhat worrisome. Naruto had noted that it was often the children of clans who were at least decent enough to only laugh at him while others tended to get a bit more physical in their dislike of him.

He frowned as he noted that they were nearing the academy, which was what had gotten him caught in the first place. Typically, he'd find a hiding spot and wait for the first bell to ring before proceeding to class. Today, he'd been so caught up in his thoughts that he'd not noticed arriving. Damn. There was no chance of escaping – Kenji was slightly faster than he and would catch up with him before he could make it to the forests. The school building itself wasn't an option either and the teachers would likely throw him back out to Kenji and attract the interest of a few more boys. That left one option: stand his ground and hope Kenji wasn't here to pick a fight…or at least that he wasn't feeling particularly bloodthirsty today.

"What?" he spun around and called out annoyed, his jaw clenched shut in determination. He wasn't going to stand around and take this beating like a good pup.

"Whoa whoa," Kenji put up his hands open palmed at shoulder level and ducked his head down, "Calm down, hot stuff. I'm not here to 'cause you trouble or nothin'."

It was still suspicious and Naruto's hand remained balled up into two tightly coiled fists. "You aren't?"

"No sir!" Kenji chimed out pleasantly, skipping a few steps to catch up with the blond, "Ma' and pa' talked with me last night and said tha' I should be tryin' to help ya."

That simple sentence melted away any resistance he'd built up to the boy, his hands quickly falling open as his jaw drooped open, and Naruto asked with wide-eyes, "Re-really? They really said that!?!"

A dark, half-amused, half-disgusted chuckle answered him. "Yup! Said that you needed someone ta help ya' with the basics since neither o' us got any formal trainin'. Guys like us should stick together, right?"

An exuberant nod was the only thing Naruto did, even with the warning sirens in his head blaring at full volume. "Yeah, yeah! So, what're we gonna work on first? Shuriken usage? Kanji reading? Something equally as cool!?"

He laughed again and smirked devilishly as a single right hook flew out of nowhere and smashed into Naruto short nose, breaking it instantly with a loud crack.. "Taijutsu. Imma beat you into unconsciousness and then you flail around and try to stay awake till classes start. Ma' and pa' wanted me to work you hard on this, idiot."

Gasping for breath, Naruto jabbed an accusing finger at the bigger boy, "You lied to me!"

"Of course I did," he snorted as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, "That's the way Shinobi operate – by lyin' and decep-she-on – so ya can't trust what I say. My folks did say they'd treat me to a new set of Shinobi tools to try on ya if I did well here. Can't blame me. Bet you'd do the same thing too."

'_As if. Get ready to eat fist, jackass!'_ Naruto spat out a tiny gob of blood from where he'd bitten open his cheek in surprise. Kenji was faster and stronger, but he wasn't so skilled that all of his attacks would hit or all of Naruto's would miss. "Tch! Take this!"

In retrospect, saying that probably wasn't the smartest decision he'd ever made, but the Jinchuuriki was pissed. His left fist lanced forward in a quick punch aimed for the taller boy's jaw, but it was easily swept aside by Kenji's right hand, grabbing his wrist and yanking outward. Kenji's left had gone up to meet with his right as his body started twisting right, putting him in position to toss Naruto around like a rag-doll. Of course, he hadn't expected Naruto right fist to curl inwards in a hooking motion, smashing right into his exposed lower body.

Kenji stopped moving as he gasped for breath. _'That hurt! Damnit, his punch isn't bad for a scrawny dumbass.' _His eyes widened once more as he realized that he was still grabbing Naruto's wrist with both hands. As though it were a live venomous snake, he released his left-handed grip and brought the arm back to the other side, establishing a stiff-arm block in time prevent a powerful sweeping kick from connecting. He grinned savagely as managed catch the right ankle before it retreated again. Naruto's face went white with shock as Kenji taunted, "Run out o' tricks, right? Game's over now."

It was. With a Herculean heave, Kenji tossed Naruto's light frame into the air as he might've tossed around a pillow. His arms, and Naruto, easily lifted above his head and then yanked him back down once more, meeting his gut with a stiff knee which knocked the boy several inches back into the air before allowing him to meet with the ground.

'_Great,'_ he thought weakly as his stomach rejected its contents, _'I can't believe I wasted a good cup of delicious Cup Ramen.' _Naruto's spirit wanted to get back up and fight again. He refused to allow himself to be beaten so easily, like a crippled dog that has given up on living. That wasn't him. His character refused to give in, to keep fighting, because that was the man he was. But he couldn't, and he knew it. His body refused to move as it lay face-down in a pool of his own vomit. Someday, somehow, he'd win.

"What a damn panzy," Kenji sounded more annoyed than taunting, "I find a guy with a good punch and he goes down with just two hits. I ain't satisfied with that."

Naruto's body had started to rise up, but he couldn't move. The will was there but not the ability. No, he was being lifted up by the shirt collar, a tawny hand gripping it tightly and pushing his head back. His blue eyes stared into angry brown ones. "I ain't gonna stop till I'm satisfied, Uzumaki. That'll take a while. Better get ready ta—"

Spit flew from Naruto's mouth and into Kenji's eyes, "Eat shit and die."

"YOU LITTLE-!!!" The older boy's hand never once faltered, keeping a firm, solid grip on his T-Shirt and refusing to let go. Other than as an act of defiance, Naruto didn't know why he had done it. His body lacked the strength to run, even if he had been startled and released Naruto from his grip, it would only serve to irritate the bully more and make his beating that much worse.

Kenji's free hand quickly cleared the spittle from his eyes and cocked back into the appropriate position. "I'm gonna make this hurts, ya moron. Better close your eyes."

He almost did when the fist flew forward with great speed and abandon, coming mere inches away from his fist before…stopping? Naruto blinked twice, confused by this turn of events. "Uh…"

"Oi," a new, but familiar, voice spoke disapprovingly, "Let the loser go, brainless twit."

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke found that waking up was always something he'd been able to do with little difficulty. He supposed it was thanks to his mother's gentle shake and loving whispers of "Good morning, Sasuke-kun. Time to wake."

They lived within the house that had been reserved for the immediate family of the Clan's Head; a massive two-story house, it was done in traditional Japanese style. The individual rooms were just as large as one would suspect from such a monstrous building, and it was clearly built for families of ten or fifteen, not a paltry number such as four. Sasuke, Itachi, his brother, Fugaku, their father, and Makoto, their mother, were the only residents of such a place, and so both sons occupied large rooms meant for two or three sibling to share. Both rooms looked barren, even with each of their individual belongings spaced out.

It was kind of lonely and sad for there to be so much unused room; aside from his bed, a bookshelf, and several dressers and cabinets, much of the floor space remained unused, leaving plenty of room to walk through during the day, even when Sasuke's clothing remained scattered across the floor. The walls, done in the same dark oaken stain as the rest of the room, remained largely untouched as well, only a few posters, scrolls, and paintings hanging down. The only aspect he really didn't mind of his room was the giant bed.

Made of a largely unknown wood, the bed itself was the same size as both his parents' and his brother's bed, a Queen. Intricate woodwork adorned the headboard and footboard, carvings of seashell-like fans being the main feature while numerous swirls accentuated them. Soft, luxurious sheets of dark red covered the feather mattress and a massive comforter enveloped Sasuke, circular patterns ranging from a bright scarlet to faded crimson decorating it.

It was a comfortable place to sleep, but Uchiha Sasuke hated wasting away time. Time was precious and irreplaceable and there never seemed to be enough of it to go around. A moment lost was unable to ever be reclaimed, so the young clansman refused to waste even a seemingly insignificant second. Even at a young age, he knew that he couldn't afford to simply sit and be content if he hoped to prove himself worthy of the Uchiha name.

Stretching vigorously, the young boy sat strait up and yawned softly before smiling at his mother and greeting her. "G'morning Mom!"

Uchiha Mikoto smiled brightly at the pleasant greeting of her younger son. Sasuke was such a gentle, kind boy. "Hurry up, Sasuke-chan. Breakfast is ready!"

He frowned at that. He really hated being called that. Now that he was in the academy, he was to be respected! And maybe even feared! His normally pleasant smiled straightened into a dissatisfied expression and he stared angrily at his mother. After several seconds, she laughed heartily and patted him on the head. Sasuke's puzzled look told her that he didn't think it was funny.

"Oh my," she called out teasingly as the door slowly swung shut behind her, "My Sasuke-_chan_ is growing up to be such a fierce Shinobi. It breaks my heart!"

The pretty woman whirled around and winked at her son, "But, you know, you'll always be my Sasuke-chan no matter how strong you become. Don't dawdle too long or I'll ask your teachers to call you that."

He blushed scarlet, embarrassment causing his body to momentarily stiffen in horror, and yelled out, "Mom! That's not funny!"

Members of the Uchiha Clan did not get referred to with a diminutive attached to their name – especially by those who weren't clansmen. Like the vast majority of upcoming Shinobi from his clan, Sasuke had worked hard to maintain a very carefully measured distance between himself and his classmates. Of all the clans in Konoha, the Uchiha clan was noted for being the most cloistered from the village, interacting with as few outsiders as possible and caring for none of them. Even as a young child, Sasuke knew that he was expected to simply pass through the academy as an excellent student while keeping uninvolved with his fellow students. Though he was unaware of it, most Uchiha tended to remain with their Genin Squads for only a year or two at most, taking only as long as needed to make Chuunin. Once Chuunin, they had every right to transfer to the Konoha Police Force and most did.

What Sasuke did know was that only a select few remained within Konoha's infrastructure._'Like Itachi.'_

He was preoccupied by that as he quietly shut the paper-thin sliding door behind him and raced down the stairs to the dining area. Sasuke loved his brother, he knew that. He just didn't know how else he felt about him. He looked up to and admired his skill as a Shinobi – the pride of the Uchiha, the 'genius' of the Uchiha, he'd been called many things by others. To Sasuke he was also a big brother…and someone he was constantly compared with. Never directly and never disparagingly, but he knew that everyone was constantly measuring the two against each other. To his credit, he was well aware that he was losing and that was where problems began.

Itachi, he'd decided long ago, was a very odd person, even among Shinobi, who aren't exactly the epitome of normalcy. He seemed genuinely nice and loving, a kind older brother that took care of him and protected his family and village. There was always a gracious smile for him and he went out of his way to care for Sasuke as he had several months prior when their Father had almost missed Sasuke's Entrance Ceremony to the Academy. And really, he appreciated it…but…there was something off about him. Years later, Sasuke would come to realize that Itachi maintained the same carefully created distance with him and his family as all Uchiha utilized when dealing with outsiders.

For now, he was content to let it slide. It wouldn't do him any good to dwell over a matter that he'd been unable to comprehend while eating breakfast with the very person who eluded him. His steps were light and gentle as he slowly descended down the ornate staircase which led to the living area of the house. He made no unnecessary motions and he took quiet, deep breathes every five steps or so. Hunching over, his knees bent far more than was required for a mere trip down the stairs. Sasuke normally stood a little over four feet in height, but the newly adopted pose shrunk him down by at least a foot. One foot passed over the other with his back against the wall, stepping sideways in the method he'd been taught at the Academy. There were numerous ways of moving stealthily, based on the situation and the layout of the area – for example, there were several variations of how to move up and down stairways, each one varying based on the type of stairway (strait, having landings, or spiral), the location (next to a wall, next to two walls, stand alone, indoors, outdoors, etc), and even based on whether you were going up or down.

Their staircase simply descended in a strait path, with no additional landings, having a thin wall on the left and a banister on the right. Creeping slowly, taking his time, minimizing the chance he would be seen or heard were the basic principles for stealth in general – you didn't rush stealth, if at all possible. The only thing he had to worry about was…

"Sasuke! Don't make me come up there again!"

…his mother, who had a very keen sense of when he was actually following her directives and when he had decided to not. Dawdling, regardless of rhyme or reason, was not something he was supposed to do. He hardly called practicing his ninja training 'dawdling', but his mother wouldn't see it that way. There was a strong temptation to blindly obey his mother's command and finish rushing down the stairs to a delicious family breakfast, but he resisted it and opted to continue. Uchiha Mikoto might've possessed an uncanny knowledge of her 'Sasuke-chan', but Sasuke had picked up more than a few things as well. For example, he knew he still had at least a few moments before she would come up to check on him, and that was more than enough time.

As he approached the bottom of the stairs, Sasuke remembered that you could barely see the last step from the kitchen. It was worrisome. His father and brother would spot him visually if he didn't move quick enough and if he went too fast, they'd hear him. No, he'd have to time just right so that he could dart out of sight as soon as his foot hit the bottom step. It was inherently tricky since speed wasn't one of the things he'd built up. Yet.

And as soon as his full weight was safely placed on the planted foot, Sasuke's other foot darted out and he sprung forward, using the rear foot to gain momentum. His small hands wrapped around the knob-like protrusion and used that as a fulcrum to curl around the banister and passed the line of sight from the eating area. There was no panting or small gesture of victory, save for a slight smile he allowed himself. He'd done well, he thought, but there was still room to improve. That'd been an improvised motion at best, meaning there was an official method to perform a maneuver like that in some text-book, likely buried within the endless amounts of books in Fuuya-sensei's backroom.

It was several seconds later that he decided he would find that book, regardless of the time or energy required as his brother's voice rumbled amusedly, "Sasuke, stop playing Ninja and eat."

He scowled disappointedly at the sound of his mother's chime-like giggles, his brother's sporadic bass-like chuckling, and the complete sound of silence coming from his own father. It was the empty uncaring sound that caused him to flinch and tread slowly into the kitchen, head drooping slightly.

"Is something wrong, Sasuke?" his mother noticed his slightly unpleasant mood first and moved to comfort him, one of her soft, gentle hands extended towards his shoulder. He could see Itachi looking at him curiously and his father seemed to have little interest in what was going on.

Mentally shaking his head, he looked up at him mother and smiled brightly, not wanting to worry the woman. "No, nothing's wrong. I just…wanted to sneak up on Otou-san and Nii-san."

She laughed softly and placed her hand on his shoulder anyway, leaning over to look at her youngest at eye-level, ready to speak when Itachi spoke up in her place. "You're a few years too early to be able to do that."

"I know, I know, " he sighed slightly and nodded in agreement, "I thought I could impress you and Tou-san if I did though. You can't blame me for trying!"

Nodding, Mikoto spoke up this time, gazing into his charcoal eyes with her soft brown ones, "No, I suppose we can't. But, you know Sasuke, you're barely an academy student. If you could do it, think of how many more experienced and skilled Shinobi would be able to. They'd be in a lot of trouble, right? So don't be disappointed and keep working on it!"

Sasuke had long since known that just about every mother had the ability to make her son feel better in times of duress, and his own was no different. He was glad that she was able to. It just wouldn't do to show up at school in a bad mood due to something completely out of his control. "Yeah, you're right Kaa-chan.. I'm sorry."

She waved it off completely as she turned towards the table and grabbed his small hand in place of his shoulder. "Don't apologize, Sasuke. It's natural to feel down when something doesn't work out the way you wish it would. There's just no use in feeling bad about it for very long either. Now, c'mon, and eat. You can't be a very good ninja if you're hungry, right!?"

He nodded emphatically and moved to take his place at the round, light-tan table. It was set for four, but Sasuke knew they could easily seat eight with how large it was. He grinned and sat down to devour his Steamed Rice, Miso Soup, and Grilled Tuna, blowing his still steaming cup of tea.

They ate in comfortable silence for several moments, each enjoying the presence of each other while maintaining their personal space, until Itachi purposefully looked up from his nearly complete meal and asked, "Sasuke…Tell us, how's the Academy treating you?"

The younger boy blinked twice as all eyes – even his father's sidewise gaze – focused in on him. "Uhm, it's fine," he started slowly and tentatively, his tongue feeling unusually heavy in front of them, "We learn a lot there, every day. Most of my classmates leave me alone, and I'm fine with them. Some of them…"

Itachi nodded understandingly as Sasuke growled in annoyance. Even he, the stoic Uchiha, had a few troubling classmates that wouldn't leave him alone, and given the slight wavering of his father's features, so had he.

"Well, we haven't done much in terms of interacting with each other though. They're working on grounding in the basics to each of us first. We're supposed to start work on Chakra soon," he shot his dad a prideful glance, "But who knows. We keep getting interrupted."

Mikoto's eyes flashed in concerned. Interrupted? Sasuke was already impatient; slowing him down wasn't a good idea. "Is something happening in class, Sasuke?"

He cringed internally, not wanting to talk about this, but knowing he wouldn't be able to escape it either. "Well…" he hesitated for a second, showing everyone that he wasn't comfortable with the topic, "It's Fuuya-sensei. He's a great teacher and he really knows what he's talking about, but he keeps on wasting time on lecturing kids in the middle of class."

Itachi slightly frowned; that wasn't the Sensei he knew. "Fuuya-san must've changed much in the time since I graduated. He was always a patient man when he taught my class."

Mikoto and Fugaku exchanged a look that said they agreed. Fuuya was known for being the most patient of the Academy Teachers, which was why he was selected to educate many of the beginning classes. Thinking back, Sasuke noted that Fuuya treated almost all of his students with a kind demeanor that was reminiscent of a father. Except for Uzumaki Naruto. The scrawny blond seemed to have earned the portly man's wraith for some unknown reason. He didn't really know what to think of him – he was often very energetic, slightly loud, and always trying to make good with somebody. His academic skills were horrible and his practical skills were almost just as bad. He claimed he couldn't read the Kanji…and Sasuke knew that Fuuya-sensei hadn't helped him in improving his Taijutsu or Shuriken throwing. "Well…it's just one kid. I don't know why, but Fuuya-sensei has it out for him. He doesn't really seem to be very bright and he can't really do anything Ninja-like. I think he tries, but he gets yelled at a lot. I had to ask Sensei to stop once."

"This…boy," Fugaku finally spoke up, a sinking feeling in his gut telling him he needed to ask this question, "Does he have a name?"

Sasuke nodded a single time, saying, "Uzumaki Naruto."

Even within the walls of their ancestral homes, the Uchiha had never been a talkative bunch. Growing up, Sasuke had grown accustomed to varying types and degrees of silence – by the time he was seven, he could easily diagnose what type of silence he was in the midst. It was an uncomfortable, stifling silence that threatened to smother him with its oppressive feeling and thick, rolling tension. He hadn't thought that the name of his peer would evoke such a reaction and grew curious. Why?

Itachi looked like he had swallowed something unpleasant – his facial features looked sour and slightly upset as he looked over at their father. Fugaku, for his part, seemed to be unusually distant while maintaining a small, certain degree of smoldering anger. If either of them had to identify it, it wasn't the raw, consuming anger they were used to, but a long burning, unending anger from long ago. Mikoto, however, looked somewhere between upset and concerned, her eyes flittering back and forth between all three of them.

Sasuke surprised himself when he was the first to speak, "Do…do you know him?"

Mikoto sighed and focused on her younger son and nodded slowly, "It's more like we know _of _him. He's…things are complicated. I can't say much on it, but I'm displeased that Fuuya-sensei would take time out of class to yell at him. It's not appropriate."

"B-but why won't he h—"

"That's enough, Sasuke. We won't speak of him again. It was the correct thing to stop Fuuya. If it continues, then we will speak of it. Understood?"

Sasuke's eyes went round as he stared at his father for several second before nodding hesitantly. "Yes…I understand."

"But remember," he stood up, finished with his meal, "You are an Uchiha. Never get too involved with the affairs of others. Become a fine Shinobi like your brother."

And with that, he moved over to chastely kiss his wife on the cheek and beckoned for Itachi to follow as he headed off to the Konoha Police Force's Headquarters. Itachi nodded once at them, a displeased look still on his face, and followed his father in silence.

Mikoto waited a few moments before speaking up, a slightly weary – yet somewhat mischievous – look in her eye. "Sasuke," she almost purred, "It's all well and good to keep to yourself, but it doesn't do any harm to have a few friends outside of the clan either. I wasn't always an Uchiha, you know."

He nodded once; it was something the elders were fond of reminding his father of. Most of the 'core' family took distant cousins as their brides – it allowed enough variance to prevent inbreeding, but maximized the chance of their descendents having the Sharingan. His father had gone against tradition – many considered it miraculous that Itachi had as much skill and potential as he did. He was well aware that if he did not grow to be as strong as his brother, many within the Uchiha would consider his father and he to be failures. "I know, Kaa-chan."

"Good," she smiled gently, "And you know, Sasuke, that sometimes the greatest friends you can have are the ones other people overlook."

He almost gaped; Sasuke had no delusions about how his father felt. "But…dad…"

"Dad won't know if you don't tell him, Sasuke," she reminded him, almost teasingly, "Just don't bring him over too much if you go through with it. You must be lonely. I know Itachi doesn't play with you much and there are no companions your own age within the Uchiha."

"I…understand." He still wasn't convinced, but the idea was in his head, and that was all Mikoto wanted. More than anything, she knew why so many people were hostile towards the boy – he was a symbol and he was also an unknown. In the past hundred years, there had not been one like him within the boundaries of Konoha. Even if there had been, she doubted that would change anything at all. They were scared and needed something – anything – to cast their anger and sorrow and hate on to. She was scared and angry too. They'd lost many friends and family to the --beast that it was impossible not to hate it. Half of her hated him too and screamed in horror at what she'd suggested – placing her son in danger by associating with the demon. Another part of her knew she'd done the right thing. Everyone deserved a chance to at least be judged for their personal actions rather than preconceived notions based on nothing more than assumptions. She couldn't help but think of Itachi when it came to that.

"Are…you okay, Kaa-chan?" Sasuke's worried tone shook her out of her daze as he peered up at her, uncertain.

"I'm fine…" she replied, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, "Just thinking about things. Don't you worry about it, Sasuke-chan. Hurry up and eat. I know you like to be early."

It was true. Itachi had once told Sasuke that if he was early, he was on-time; if he was on-time, he was late; and if he was late, he would be dead. He'd stuck to that saying since he saw every member of his family placing it into practice on a daily basis. Grinning widely, he nodded and inhaled the rest of his breakfast quickly.

Time passed quickly for the young student as he hurried to prepare for class, dashing all over the house as he grabbed an errant book that he'd left in the living room or his Kunai set that he'd left laying on a table outside on the porch. A good half-hour had gone by before he was ready to set off for the academy, and he was almost out the door before his mother called him back. "Sasuke-chan! Don't forget your Bento!"

He trotted back in almost reluctantly, meeting his mom half-way between the front door and the kitchen, another smile lighting up her face. "Remember what we talked about, okay?"

Nodding once, he grabbed the box from her and braced himself for her daily kiss on the forehead. "I won't forget Kaa-chan…but are you sure? I mean…Tou-san…"

It was a quick peck that took only a second; she nodded once and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "It's fine, Sasuke. Just do what you think is best, okay?"

Smiling back, he grunted his agreement before pulling away and waving good-bye. She often offered to walk him to the academy, but he always politely refused her offer. It was a fairly short walk there, and most of the ground covered was Uchiha territory, where he would get many pleasant greetings from his various aunts and uncles and cousins. It was relaxing to walk through such familiarity and tradition by himself. He loved his family dearly, but his mom needed to realize that he wasn't a little kid anymore. Well, technically he was, but he was growing up fast.

Waving politely and greeting everyone in turn, Sasuke let his body carry him to school as he thought about his mother's opinion from earlier that day. Truthfully, that was the only thing Sasuke could really complain about being an Uchiha – it was awfully lonely. Certainly, he was given an enormous amount of freedom to conduct his life with. Unlike other children, he wasn't expected to be at home any early than dinner time. Most of the time, he used that extra few hours for personal training. He was mostly free on the weekends, though he opted to spend them with Itachi whenever it was possible and training on his own when it wasn't. And that was fine – he wasn't complaining, even though his mother did. There were certain expectations he was supposed to meet, but he didn't mind them. They challenged him, motivated him to strive higher. But that was really all there was, and there were just these occasions when he was training or sitting at home or even in the middle of class when he wanted to have a couple of people to play with. Or train with. It didn't really matter to him, he supposed.

By the time he'd left Uchiha territory, he'd grown extremely fond of his mother's suggestion. Having a few outside friends couldn't be a bad thing – his own father praised Itachi because of his connections to the Village, after all. It was just a matter of who. He'd spent so much time trying to ignore everyone as much as he could that Sasuke didn't have much of a grasp on his classmates. He knew, for example, that the Nara boy was particularly lazy, that the Aburame boy was genuinely reserved and observational, and that the Inuzuka boy was very loud and wild. Those were single personality traits; they didn't represent the whole person. He would have to observe them more if he wanted to know whether they would be compatible as friends or not.

It was around this time when he finally stumbled on to a scene which would arguably alter his life through a series of chain events. Not that he was aware of that. He heard it before he saw it. "I ain't gonna stop till I'm satisfied, Uzumaki. That'll take a while. Better get ready ta—"

The voice was gruff, unfriendly, and familiar. It took Sasuke a few second to recall the name, but he instantly remembered the body that went with the voice. He was a gargantuan brute of a boy who had tried to pick a few fights with him but failed in a spectacular manner…Ichijou Kenji. That was his name. And then there was…"Eat shit and die."

Uzumaki Naruto, who was apparently causing a bit of trouble for the older lad. He wasn't sure why, but Sasuke smirked at the thought of that, tentatively approaching the source of the noise, only to see a much larger Kenji holding Naruto a few inches off the ground by the collar of his shirt. He frowned as the boy calmed down after screaming an insult. "I'm gonna make this hurts, ya moron. Better close your eyes."

The younger boy looked exhausted and barely able to breathe. That signaled Sasuke that it was time to intervene on his behalf. His movement was sharp and quick, and in only a second he was behind Kenji, hand gently his fist and restraining it. "Oi," he called calmly, slipping into his woven persona for school, "Let the loser go, brainless twit."

Both boys were surprised to see him there. Kenji thought nobody would bother standing up for Naruto, especially not the Ice King himself. Naruto would've agreed if he hadn't been so genuinely grateful for his presence, if not slightly peeved at being called a loser. He got that often enough in class. "Yeah! You better let me go," Naruto urged, hoping to get out of this.

Kenji snorted. Sasuke had doubted it would be that easy. He actually looked forward to an unsupervised test of his skill. "Or what? The Uchiha will look at me and beat me by being 'pretty'? Get real. He doesn't stand a chance, just like you."

Naruto would've protested that, but Sasuke snorted irately first, mocking the boy as he spoke. "Pretty? Perhaps in comparison to you. Talk is cheap. Show me that I don't stand a chance."

And he tried to. Enraged, he snarled and dropped Naruto, turning to face Sasuke in his place. Which wasn't the greatest idea on either account since the Uchiha was already moving to attack by the time he'd dropped his old prey. He jumped upward, bringing his foot inwards in a tight kick aimed at the boy's pivot leg while he switched hands gripping the boys wrist. Just as his opponent had finished facing him, his leg smashed into Kenji's thigh and he winced once in pain and crumpled down several inches., allowing for Sasuke to deliver a smooth uppercut to his jaw, causing Kenji's head to tilt back slightly. His punches weren't as strong as others, but his skill and speed were several notches higher.

The fight did come to an abrupt end even as Sasuke was bringing his hand back into position for a quick shot to the ribs. Naruto's foot came smashing down on to Kenji's exposed, unprotected face after performing a well-timed heel kick. "That was quick," Naruto noted as the bully sunk into unconsciousness. Sasuke nodded in agreement once before overlooking Naruto with a cocked eyebrow. His clothes were old looking, with slight stains here and patches thinly worn fabric there, but there was no blood and no torn cloth – he certainly didn't look like someone who'd been on the receiving end of a beating. "What happened?"

Naruto shrugged, "The bastard got the drop on me. He said he was gonna help me improve and then…well, didn't. Knocked the wind out of me with a lucky punch. Fight didn't really last very long."

"Oh," Sasuke looked at him suspiciously, "I shouldn't have expected anything better out of Mr. 'Dead Last'."

"Hey!" Naruto shouted indignantly, "Don't call me that! It was a lucky shot and that was all. Besides, I was the one that beat 'im!"

Sasuke snorted. "With my help. You wouldn't have lasted a moment alone. Wait, that's right, you didn't. Anyway…what'd you do to get on his bad side?"

That wasn't really what he wanted to know, but it was close enough. Maybe getting some insight into why most of the children disliked him would solve the mystery of why his dad seemed so…disdainful of the boy.

Sighing, Naruto shrugged his shoulders as they chatted. It was odd, talking like this. He wasn't used to it, but it felt right. Like something was falling into place. "I wish I knew. I didn't do anything to anybody. It's just…always been like this, since I can remember."

"Hmm," Sasuke grunted as he mused away. That was odd. People had to do something before others got angry with them. He knew that much. If Naruto hadn't done anything…then nothing made sense. "Are you sure? My Tou-san doesn't like you and I don't think you've ever met him."

The blond nodded sadly as he confirmed that he was sure. "That's the way it is. Nobody likes me. I didn't do anything wrong…they just hate me."

Sasuke had learned when he was young that saying you hated something represented a very strong dislike about it. Hate wasn't a word you were supposed to use very often, so he was very…unsure of what to make of Naruto. "Oh. Surely not everyone hates you? Most of 'em probably just dislike you."

"Well," he amended his earlier statement, abashed at such a blanketing statement, "Sandaime-jiijii puts up with me. And Teuchi-san and Ayame-chan both like me. But…"

He had to think long and hard about the difference between the two. A tender child still, the concept of 'hate' was still largely elusive, a slippery eel in a bay of unknown experiences and emotions. But Naruto wasn't a hateful person – the few who knew much about him were aware of his untainted, cheerful demeanor. There were plenty of things he disliked – he disliked being made fun of and he disliked overly sour foods. He disliked plenty of people too. He wasn't sure he hated them though…even though he actively felt a strong swirl of disgust mixed with righteous fury and a helping of longing; the overwhelming feeling came from within, lacking any prompting from the boy. It was far stronger than the mild wave of irritation and aversion he consciously felt and created when people mocked him. His head tilted towards the sky and his eyes seemed to lose focus as he weighed the two. Was it merely a strong dislike or a powerful hatred of his existence that plagued his fellow villagers?

But then, he already knew that answer. "I'm pretty sure they hate me, Sasuke. I can see it in their eyes – they don't just feel a lil' angry at me, they want me to go away and never come back," he shivered slightly, unwilling to say what they really wanted. Perhaps it was some defense mechanism, but somewhere, he knew that if he admitted they wanted him to cease existing – to die, completely and utterly, leaving nothing behind – his perceptions and feelings would forever change into something…inhuman.

"Well," the younger Uchiha shrugged unconcerned, still unconvinced, but knowing some sort of comfort was needed, "I don't hate you. I just don't know you…except for the fact that you're mildly annoying."

He smiled appreciatively, never saying thanks because the gratitude he felt couldn't be conveyed that way. "Tch!" He scrunched his face up and scowled at the boy, anger seeming to overtake him, "I'm not the annoying brat that ignores everyone, y'know! I try to be friendly."

They walked together, almost side by side, with Naruto slightly in the lead, twirling about occasionally to look his companion in the face. His blue eyes twinkled with pure joy and appreciation as he took comfort in the bickering between them. Even if he knew, without a doubt, it wouldn't last. It never did. Once they got to class, he'd have to stop to avoid the vile rumors and nasty gossiping that would certainly occur otherwise. Or, if he lasted through class, then the boy would wander home after school and inform his parents about his new friend – and then they might scold Sasuke, scream profanities at him, and force him to realize that Uzumaki Naruto was not an appropriate companion.

Sasuke, for all his excellent Shinobi skills, was still vastly lacking in the insight ability and couldn't have known of the blooming doubts within Naruto's mind. And that was fine too. "None of you are worth being friendly towards," he snorted amusedly, "It'd be nothing more than a waste of time."

Naruto replied with an unbelieving chuckle, "Uh-huh. Sure, Sasuke. It's either that or you're a stuck-up boy with a superiority complex."

'_And that,'_ the black-haired student thought, _'is exactly how I'm supposed to seem. The way that all Uchiha are supposed to seem.'_ The temptation to smirk triumphantly was only trumped by the desire to retain his 'disguise' in a successful manner. Beating away thoughts of 'victory', and not even consciously realizing that he'd begun to naturally adopt the cold, isolating aura, Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly and calmly stated, "Let's just get to class."

Of course, by failing to seize his victory, Sasuke had inadvertently handed it to Naruto, who was far less nonchalant about 'winning'. While not jumping around in joy, the simple boy smiled smugly, jabbing his pointer finger at Sasuke accusingly, "Ha! Take that! I won!"

In a deadpan manner, Sasuke couldn't resist questioning, "You won what?"

Naruto frowned thoughtfully for a moment before chipperly replying, "The argument! We were fighting each other in a battle of words!"

"Oh. You must've gotten the wrong idea, Naruto. I make it a point to never fight with someone that's 'dead last' in everything." Because he knew what was coming, he couldn't help but smirking proudly as he reaffirmed his victory in something other than deception.

"…I'm not 'dead last' in everything! And besides, you're the stupid one!"

"Right Naruto."

"Don't say it like that!"

"Say it like how?"

"Like you don't believe me!"

"…Sorry. Should I say it slower next time?"

"…Errr?"

"Exactly, Naruto."

"Hmph! Shut it, Sasuke! Now you're just talking like a crazy man."

Sighing in frustration, Sasuke ceased speaking as they suddenly arrived at their destination. Room 108, their classroom, was one of the older places in the Academy along with every room numbered lower than 110. They'd originally been constructed almost seventy years ago when an academy was officially built and opened during the reign of the Nidaime Hokage. Each room was in fairly good condition, save for the occasional rotting board that leaked or the old, damp scent that lingered about. Unlike their more modern rooms, the seats were not stadium-style but were all on the same level, giving the various Sensei's the freedom to peruse each student's work at leisure.

They were also noticeably smaller than the rooms the upper-level students used and had about half the storage space. Sasuke had noted many times that this forced students to be seated very closely together, losing what little personal space they had. Combined with the overflowing clutter from the piles of unused scrolls, books, and assorted tools that were stacked up along the back and side floors, it created an abnormally closed-in feeling within the room. Some might've called it warm and cozy; for Sasuke, it was almost claustrophobically small. He had no illusions as to why they, the first-year students, received those sort of rooms. Certainly, it was partly because of seniority – it only made sense that the elder students receive the better, more modern rooms. There was another factor that he was largely unaware though. By forcing students who were normally secluded from outsiders by their respective clans to occupy restricted space together, it acted as a catalyst for the bonds of fraternity to arise.

At least, that was the theory. In practice, it caused more headaches than it was worth. So many young, ambitious boys in such a small space caused daily clashes of egos, resulting in numerous small scuffles and verbal attacks. While it seemed to work well in regards to the girls, it only served to further brutalize the verbal mistreatment they often unleashed on one another. In the long term, though, it would prove effective, but as Sasuke and Naruto had both noted, it created a swirling ball of chaos before class began. Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke had already spotted several pencils being hurled back and forth while Naruto could clearly see a small shuffle in the making as two of his classmates slowly entered each other's space with an aggressive, angry look in their eyes.

Naruto eyed his spot towards the middle row of the left side of the room wearily and apprehensively and then stole a glance at Sasuke, who didn't even seem the least bit concerned. He couldn't blame him; as long as he made it look like they'd just arrived together coincidentally, there wouldn't be any issues. In just a moment, he'd be on his way to his seat located at the rear-right of the room.

Several seconds passed, and Sasuke didn't move. He just watched Naruto carefully, patiently, waiting for him to do or say something. Confusion set over the blond as his companion – referring to him as a friend would've been out of place – failed to leave his side even as the riled-up atmosphere began to fade away. Numerous pairs of eyes started to watch them, curious as to what was going on. Naruto couldn't help but feel angry; why wasn't he leaving? Didn't that bastard know the popularity he'd worked so hard for by pretending to be cold and aloof would be gone in an instant?

"Oi," he whispered as quietly as he could, "What are you doing, Sasuke? Go find your seat."

Sasuke kept a carefully measured neutral expression on his face and spoke clearly, "You're annoying, Naruto. I've decided to change seats today, alright?"

The Kyuubi's container frowned uncharacteristically and whispered nervously, "Then go find your new seat, Sasuke. Before those girls attack me for speaking with their idle."

Rolling his black eyes, Sasuke couldn't believe the massive stupidity being displayed in front of him. "My new seat, you idiot, is next to yours. I'm waiting for you to move so I can sit there. You're blocking the road."

"Oh…" Naruto couldn't bring himself to speak as he saw both the tiny, almost unnoticeable smile and equally faint nod. He wanted to smile, but gulped loudly to suppress the urge and slowly shuffled to his seat, Sasuke walking a couple feet behind him, managing to appear apathetic about the whole affair. He really was good at that, Naruto noted.

He slid over one seat to the right, giving Sasuke his old seat in the process. They sat there in silence, a tense, strangling feeling coming over him as their classmates still observed the two of them. Some gazes were angry at being glossed over by the Uchiha for Uzumaki. Others seemed uncertain and apprehensive about what changes this 'union' might bright. And a few were impassive, as unreadable as the Uchiha himself was. Both boys noted that there wasn't a single pleased looked aimed towards them; Sasuke began to understand that maybe he'd underestimated the resentment and anger aimed Naruto. _'Why it even exists in the first place is a complete mystery,'_ he mentally reminded himself, adding it to the stack of oddities that surrounded Uzumaki Naruto.

Oddities he intended to figure out one of these days, anyway.

Neither boy managed to speak; Naruto was too uncertain about what to feel or what to say while Sasuke had no reason to speak. He could care less about what his classmates – especially those girls – thought of him. They wouldn't be seeing each other after graduation and he would be a Shinobi of such skill that rumors would be only silly, paltry things that were below him.

"Alright, class," a voice spoke from the doorway, causing everyone to suddenly halt their staring and scramble to find their seats, "It's time to—Uchiha-kun, what are you doing?"

Fuuya stood half-way between his desk and the doorway when he spotted them. Like always, the portly man's arms were overflowing with his personal effects. He almost dropped them when he came to a sudden halt, but managed to prevent a loss of composure. When Sasuke didn't answer, Fuuya started to become irate, "Uchiha-kun, why are you not in your seat?"

"Fuuya-sensei," he shot back calmly, speaking in a dangerously pleasant tone, "You told us the first day we didn't have assigned seats, remember? I simply chose to change mine. Is there a problem with that?"

Fuuya's lips became thin white lines as they trembled with rage. Several days later, students swore they saw him turn a bright violet at the 'innocent' question. Instead of yelling, the man closed his hazel eyes and took several long, deep breaths, allowing him to calm down considerably. "It is your choice, Uchiha-kun. I do not recommend moving there, but we have more important matters to attend to. As many of you know, we have a student joining us today. Why don't you come in and introduce yourself?"

Several seconds passed before an incredibly timid looking girl passed through the doorway and joined Fuuya in front of the classroom. Bubble-gum pink hair framed a slightly larger than average forehead and deep green eyes. "Uhm," she spoke slowly, uncertain of why she was here and what to say; "My name is Haruno Sakura. I'll be joining you from now on."

* * *

A/N: The title of this story isn't referencing the 'Legendary Sannin', but rather the actual meaning of the word – three people, or three Shinobi, specifically in the sense of 'three man squads'. This story is primarily focused on Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke as a three-man squad, but rest assured the other characters will be given time to shine as well. Honestly, this is going to deviate quit a bit from the manga, and by the end of the 'Chuunin Exam' Arc, I can guarantee you that it will be very different from its manga counter-part. This chapter alone should show why the divergence occurs and why it will be AU, especially Sakura's portion. No, this story will not feature OverpoweredGenius!Naruto or WeakBitch!Sakura or UnredeemableEvil!Sasuke. I like each of their individual personas and characters, thank you very much, and there are already plenty of fanfictions which feature each of those. Pairings will not be a factor in this story; any romance between the Genin will not occur until the sequel. Finally, if anyone is interested, I'm looking for a beta-reader for this work. It'll be a long one, so buckle up. Any and all criticism is welcomed. 


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